STABBED: Wife Helen Kozak said Yuriy was 'much loved by the community".

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The widow of a music teacher who died after he was stabbed in a block of flats has paid tribute to her 'always smiling and happy' husband.

Yuriy Kozak, 46, suffered a head injury and a stab wound when he was attacked in an apartment block in Salford on Tuesday afternoon. The father died in hospital later.

A post mortem examination is being conducted to establish a precise cause of death.

Meanwhile, detectives are continuing to quiz two men, aged 45 and 46, who have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Enquiries are continuing into the incident at 4.30pm at the block in Rodney Street.

Originally from Ukraine, Mr Kozak moved from his homeland, where he was a music teacher, to the UK nine years ago.

He taught music to the children of ex-pats at the Ukrainian Saturday School.

His widow, Helen said: “Yuriy was a loving husband, father and brother to us all. He loved his family and was a real home-body.

“Yuriy was born in Ukraine but moved to Britain nine years ago, and he was much loved by his local community.

“He used to be a music teacher in Ukraine and taught children music at the Ukrainian Saturday School. He loved children and music was his passion. He played the piano and the guitar from being young.

“Yuriy had a good sense of humour and he was always happy and smiling.

He was always joyful and liked to make people happy. He had many friends and was very popular in the community.”

And she echoed a call from the police for the public to help find justice for her laet husband, saying: “If anyone knows of any information that could help the police with their investigation into Yuriy’s death, please contact them.”

She added: “We respectfully ask to be left in peace to grieve at our loss of Yuriy.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.